Today, Mario’s grandson stewards the Isgro legacy. Born in the Italian Market and raised in the bakery, Gus Sarno’s life has revolved around Isgro Pastries. Having inherited Mario’s creativity and culinary talent, Gus spent his childhood learning from his grandfather. He took over the business in 1969 and has run it, with his wife Lucille, ever since.

Though Gus likes to say “change isn’t in our vocabulary,” he’s created some irresistible Isgro items, including the bakery’s best-selling ricotta cookies. Chefs and restaurateurs know Gus for his incredible palate and culinary instincts. With decades of tried-and-true experience, he bakes intuitively and precisely—always seeking pastry perfection.

Today, Gus and Lucille run the show with their sons Michael and A.J. Complementing her husband’s creative skills, Lucille keeps the business stable through bookkeeping, marketing, and management.

Like their dad, Michael and A.J. grew up in the bakery. As kids, they washed dishes and learned the family business firsthand, while sneaking sweet treats from the kitchen. Michael, a classically trained chef, runs the baking operation. A.J., a Drexel grad with a Master's in biology, manages the shop upstairs and bakes in the kitchen downstairs.

Now in its fourth generation of family ownership, the Sarno family carries forward the Isgro Pastries legacy that Mario Isgro, their patriarch, started more than a century ago.

Our Process

Pastry precision demands attention, repetition and passion. Since 1904, this has been the Isgro family mantra, passing down not just recipes, but the techniques, as well.

From the beginning, the bakery has only used real butter, high-quality vanilla, fine dark chocolate, and carefully sourced imported products. The team still cuts cannoli shells on a century-old carrara marble table, boils sugar and honey for torrone in an antique copper kettle, and creates Easter candy with hand-carved molds from the turn of the century.

Owner Gus Sarno insists on doing things the right way, even if it takes longer or costs more. That’s why— generation after generation—Isgro’s iconic Italian sweets are still handmade in small batches. Obsession, precision, and repetition are baked into the Isgro way of life.